Download Caesar - Roman History Notes

Roman History Notes
Latins – tribe that lived in the valley of the Tiber River
-
founded the city of Rome on one of the seven hills, and eventually
incorporated all of the hills into their city.
Why found a city here?
Farmer Soldier – Most farmers only making what they needed.
- Cincinnatus, would drop his plow and head into battle.
- Respect for AUTHORITY
- Father headed the household
- Statues of former fathers in the house
Roman Republic
- Eventually taken over by the Etruscans
- As learning, growth, and trade grew, people became dissatisfied without being
able to govern themselves under the Etruscan king.
- Formed after years of growth and external turmoil.
-Lucius Junius Brutus lead a succesfulrevolt in 509BC
-
Members of the leading families led by committee, specifically by the original
revolters.
Aristocracy of Birth
Patricians (leaders of the state)
Met in the Senate
TWO CONSULS were elected to manage the state
Dictators were allowed only in times of crisis
-
Plebians (common people)
Status determined by birth
No inter-class marriage
-
PLEBIAN REVOLT, they left the city
Upon their return, they were allowed to elect a TRIBUNE
Given the power of VETO
TWELVE TABLETS 450 BC
Allowed to be Consul or a Senator, Marriage was permitted
Why was Rome still considered an Aristocracy?
- Poor were still dependent on the Wealthy (land, food, votes)
Why the continued Expansion?
- good land
- citizenship
-
good at warfare
didn’t ask much in return
rise of technology (adapting from other cultures)
EXPANSION TO THE MEDTERANIAN
- Changed expectations of the Military and the Senate
- The “NEW” Soldier
- Warfare became a full-time job
- What happens to their farms? Expansion of land ownership and slavery
- Soldiers dependent on their generals for money and support
- What happens when battle is over?
- Proletariat (Social Class of Soldiers)
- The Empire became far too large for the Senate to police.
- Taxes, right sold to businessmen
- Importance of Military Power
EVERYDAY LIFE
- Religion / Christianity
- Morality
- Conservative Values
- Women’s Role
TIBERIUS GRACCHUS
- Tribune in 133 BC
- Tried to limit size of estates and make more land available to the poor
- Wanted to extend citizenship to more people.
- The senate refused his attempts
- He refused to step down as Tribune and tried using force to solve social
problems
- REVOLT OF THE GRACCHI
- He was assassinated.
What does this show us about the continually growing empire?
GAIUS MARIUS (approx 111 BC)
- Jugurtha, African King who revolted against Roman Rule
- Senators being bribed not to win the war.
- Defeated Jugurtha and returned to be Consul
- He was re-elected seven times (against the law)
- Strong military following
- Civil war followed his death
Senators had unchecked power because they would not expand the gov’t, no one kept
check on the military.
Rome as Center of the World
- Decisions made there affected the world
- Wealth
- Technology
- Sophisication
- Even with social problems, the military continue to grow and flourish.
POMPEY (approx. 64 BC)
- Lead the Empire through Asian and Egypt
- Was a Consul, but most power stemmed from his troops
CRASSUS
- Vastly Wealthy
- Could buy enough votes to get anyone elected
- The two formed an alliance with Julius Caesar called a TRIUMVARANT in
60 BC
JULIUS CAESAR
- Grew up as a solider and didn’t do much that was substantial
- Statue of Alexander the Great
- Was given the backward providince of GAUL
- (bridge)
- Turned it around and assimilated it into the empire.
- Essentially, he civilized Europe
- He did this with the sole purpose of gaining power in Rome
- After making his alliance, they three could not be stopped.
The CONFLICT
- Crassus is killed in battle in 53 BC
- Pompey made sole consul because of his power.
- Caesar decides to run for Consul in 49 BC
- The senate orders his to disband his army
- Famous march across the Rubicon (rally of his army
- Not enough soldiers to protect the city
- Pompey withdrawls to Greece and the city is divided
- Caesar defeats Pompey and welcomes back his followers
- Pompey is assassinated in Egypt
Caesar’s Rule
- Caesar Rules the Empire for Seven months
- Establishes a Calendar
- Centralized the gov’t to Rome
- Begins draining land
- Offer citizenship and money to the people
Why is Caesar Killed?
- Brutus, Marc Anthony and Ocatavian
- Seen as a threat to the old republic values
- Marcus Brutus (decendant from the other Brutus) who sided with Pompey
- Conspiracy
- March 15, 44 BC (ides of March)
- Marc Antony seeks revenge
- Chases and kills Brutus and his followers in Greece.
- Continued to Egypt (Cleopatra), even wanted to shift the capital
- Antony was reckless, forced to share power with Caesar’s heir Octavian
- Octavian defeats Antony
- Antony and Cleopatra commit suicide before Octavius can catch him
CAESAR AUGUSTUS (took power in 31 BC)
- Octavian takes the name Caesar and become Emperor